Driving ANC to TOK
General Topic
Anyone done the drive from Anchorage to TOK? Looking for interesting sights or stops to make along the way. Have plenty of time to get to TOK and have a hours to kill along the way.
Prez
I have driven from Valdez to Tok. Looks like you'd be driving the Glenn Hwy to Glennallen and then the Tok Cutoff from there. There is not a lot to see from Glennallen on to Tok, except endless expanses of bush and low hills. You'll see distant mountains but nothing close. My suggestion would be focus your extra time between Anchorage and Nelchina where the scenery is best. Be careful driving...those long highways put people to sleep and some awful wrecks happen out there. We saw a near fatal mega-wreck about 2 hours out of Tok.
just did it in late Sept and only hit one small snowy stretch, its a great drive with things to look at everywhere ,,,but theres a few spots where one wrong move and you`ll be meeting your maker no question about it so pay attention always as mentioned above thats the bummer about being the driver you can`t gaze out the windows God speed Sir and safe travels MikeC
P.S if your going into Canada some vehicles (box truck we drove did) require chains after Oct 1 if I remember correctly
You will learn to hate black spruce.
Keep an eye out for snowshoe road kill for the first 100 miles out of Palmer. We used to have a great time along there and was wondering if they've started to come back.
Bring a spotting scope and window mount. Near sheep mountain you may be able to see some Dall's but it's tough in the winter.
Remember, wolf season is open.
Try to avoid Fri pm and Sun pm. Snowmobiler traffic can be heavy.
Palmer to Glenallen is an amazingly beautiful drive... From there to Tok is pretty boring.
About 1.5 hours from Anchorage is the Matanuska glacier. Stop and take a hike/walk on it. Or try the zip line. Also, good food at Sheep mountain Lodge just past the Glacier. From there to Glenallen is just low black spruce. Once at Glenallen, stop and see the Alaska pipeline. From Glenallen to Tok.....well, there isn't much. Some nice views. Most ofnthendrive, especially Anchorage to Eureka is great scenery.
I live in Anchorage.
I've done it round trip four times. Not a whole lot to do... but some of the most scenic country on the planet. Lots of spots to take photos and look for wildlife. I've seen sheep, goats, moose and salmon from the highway. There's a muskox farm right out of Palmer and you'll pass by the Matanuska Glacier. Not much real food til you get to Fast Eddys in Tok. Make sure you're going really fast when you hit the frost heaves... you'll get completely airborn! Enjoy... Ed F
Some places to stop are the glacier of course. Long Rifle Lodge(check to see if they are open). Eat at Fast Eddies in Tok. Very mild winter here, so road should be fine.
I don't remember many frost heaves and I made the drive last year. You usually get those from Tok to Destruction Bay.
Bowuntr beat me to it. Bring good shocks and a kidney belt for those whoops. A padded hat is a good idea too. Gorgeous drive!
Depending on the time of year and legality, you might be able to stop along the way and do some fishing.
